Coupe: 2013 Ford Shelby GT500

By Clare Dear, National Post

Originally published: October 31, 2012

All you need to know about the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 can be wrapped up in these digits: 662 and 631. They are its monstrous horsepower and torque output – now let your imagination run wild.

Ford, with input from the late Carroll Shelby, has created the most badass Mustang ever. Surprisingly, all this power is manageable, due mainly to the car’s nifty traction and stability control technologies.

Still, there’s no mistaking the feel of 662 horses being given free rein when you put the go pedal to the floor. They kick you back in the seat with authority. To make the engine?s massive output more manageable, Ford engineers reworked the Tremec gearbox, changing the ratios an all but fourth gear to ensure the torque gets to the ground in the most efficient manner. The gearbox bearings and housing were beefed up, as was the clutch, which is now a dual-disc type. A new carbon-fibre driveshaft transfers the power to the rear differential, now with a final gear ratio of 3.31.

Ford says the Shelby will reach 96 kilometres an hour from a standstill in just 3.7 seconds. For a full quarter-mile run, the Shelby is capable of an 11.7-second pass with a terminal speed of 201 km/h. All that power and performance plus a slight improvement in fuel efficiency: 13.9 litres per 100 km in the city and 8.3 on the highway, compared with the previous rating of 14.5 and 8.8.

As impressive as the “go” aspects are, equally important is the Shelby’s capacity to stop. To ensure you’ll be able to reel in the car after high-speed excursions, its Brembo braking system has been upgraded with new six-piston calipers up front and larger rotors front and rear.

The car’s handling dynamics are superb, thanks to upgrades to the Bilstein suspension components designed to handle the car’s increased potential. The electronic assists, such as the power steering, traction control and stability system, have also been recalibrated to help drivers keep the car on its intended line.

The Shelby is an exceptional car that’s easily manageable despite those huge power output numbers. It’s equally capable of tearing up a racetrack on the weekend, then making the commute to the office Monday morning. How could you not love that?